Damaging Wind in Florida, May 27, 1997

Name: Damaging Wind in Florida, May 27, 1997
Start: 1997-05-27T16:35
End: 1997-05-27T16:42
Location: Florida

May 27, 1997 · NWS JAX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Downburst over Downtown Jacksonville spread South along the St. Johns River to NAS Jacksonville.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $2.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS JAX wrote it up.

Downburst over Downtown Jacksonville spread South along the St. Johns River to NAS Jacksonville. Scores of large trees and power lines toppled onto houses and cars. Power outages occurred in Riverside, Avondale, Ortega, San Jose, and Mandrin. Portions of I-10 East was closed temporary between Cassat Avenue and I-95. A wind gust of 94kts(106mph) was recorded at NAS Jacksonville were a parked patrol aircraft was blown into a hanger and a small private plane was flipped over.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Duval

When: May 27, 4:35 PM EST to 4:42 PM EST
Where: Duval County, Jacksonville to Jacksonville Nas
Measured: 94 kt (108 mph)
Property damage: $2.0 million
Coordinates: 30.350, -81.670

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Florida in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Florida, May 1997

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5608663.